NEWS/ Joan Rivers Dead at 81: Comic Legend Passes Away After Being Taken Off Life Support
Joan Rivers has passed away at 81 years old.
Her daughter, Melissa Rivers, released the following statement: "It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother. She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m. surrounded by family and close friends. My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff of Mount Sinai Hospital for the amazing care they provided for my mother."
It continued: "Cooper and I have found ourselves humbled by the outpouring of love, support, and prayers we have received from around the world. They have been heard and appreciated. My mother's greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon."
The tragic news comes days after the Fashion Police host suffered from complications while undergoing a recent throat operation in New York City on Aug. 28.
Melissa and her son rushed to be by the Hollywood icon's side upon hearing the news, and love and support from Hollywood's brightest stars quickly poured in paying tribute and sending well wishes to the legend.
The previous night, Joan was at a Q&A event where she was seen greeting fans before taking the stage to perform several minutes of stand-up.
E! News and NBCUniversal released the following statement on the legend's passing:
"E! and NBCUniversal send our deepest condolences to Melissa, Cooper and her entire extended family on this incredibly sad day. For decades Joan has made people laugh, shattered glass ceilings and revolutionized comedy. She was unapologetic and fiercely dedicated to entertaining all of us and has left an indelible mark on the people that worked with her and on her legions of fans. She's been a much beloved member of the E! family for over 20 years and the world is less funny without her in it. Today our hearts are heavy knowing Joan will not be bounding through the doors."
Joan first became a household name after landing in the spotlight in 1965 during a guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The duo's chemistry was so palpable that she was named the permanent guest host in 1983.
Then in 1986, she began the rival program The Late Show which sparked a highly publicized rift between the two late-night talk show hosts.
Joan's program was a watershed moment for not only late-night television programming, but for women in comedy as a whole—which had up until that point been a male-dominated bubble within the entertainment industry.
Joan singlehandedly broke boundaries and gender roles and quickly became famous for her outspoken—and often times controversial—no-holds-barred approach.
In 1994, both Joan and Melissa hosted the E! pre-show awards for the Golden Globes, which quickly became an absolute sensation.
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